Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

XVM. VAN ANDEN, OF POUGIIKEEPSIE, NEV YORK.

||v| PRovEM ENT IN HARVESTERS.

Speciication forming part of /Lettcrs Patent No. 34,019, dated December 24, 1861.

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM VAN ANDEN, of Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvesters for Grass, Grain, and Similar Substances,'the construction and operation of which I have described in the following specification and illustrated in itsaccompanying drawings with sufficient clearness to enable competent and skillful workmen in the arts to which it pertains or is most nearly allied to make and use my invention.

The nature of my invention consists, first,

Vin the use and construction of adjustable bars 'for attaching the tongue, second, in the use of an adjustable cutter-bar holder.

In the accoinpanyi ng'drawings, Figure I is a side elevation ofthe harvester. (The dotted red lines show the ingenbar raised.) Fig. II is a rear elevation of the harvester. Fig. III is a plan view of the harvester. Fig. IV is a top View of one of the cutter-blades. Fig. V is a section of one of the cutter-blades. Fig. VI is a view of under or cutting edge of cutterblade.Y Fig. VII is a view of section of fingerbar and adjustable cutter-bar holder.

In the gures, A is the main driving-wheel on the main axle B/and on the other end of which is the supplementary wheel C, which supports the inner end of the axle.

D is the main frame of the machine, fastened to the aXle B, and to the lower end of which frame D is fastened the ngenbar E.

F is the main bevel-wheel, securely fastened to the main driving-wheel A.

G is a bevel-pinion for the purpose of transmitting the motion of the Adriving-wheel, by means of the large bevel-wheel F, to the shaft II and cam I.

R is the adjustable bars, fastened to the. aXle B by means of the adjustable rods O and setbolts I?, and to the forward end of which adjustable bars are fastened by means of an axle the tonguefwheel L, which wheel receives the weight ofthe finger-bar when raised.

M is a lever for raising the`iinger-bar E by means of the cam N, secured at the lower end to the adjustable bars K, and the upper part works on the pin T, and which cam N is provided with suitable indentations in order to hold the finger-bar E at any desired height.

Q is the rockshaft forthe purpose of transmitting the motion of the cam I, by means of its arms Tand S, to the cutter-bar R and cutter-blades V V V.

U is the adjustable cutter-bar holder for securing the cutter-bar in its place.

Having now described all the different parts, I will proceed to describe the. operation and construction of the same.

The general features and principle o f work ing do not differ much from the harvesters now in use. As the machine is drawn over the ground by meansof horse or other power attached to the end of the adjustable tonguebar K, the driving-wheel A is turned; and by means of thelarge bevel-wheelF and the bevelpinion G, shaft H, cam I, rock-shaft Q, and its arms S and T, motion is communicated to the cuttenbar R. This completes the working of the machine so far as regards the working of the cutters.

It will be seen that the height of the ngerbar and cutters is adjusted by means of the lever M and cam N. Should it be desired'to hoist the cutter very high, the set-bolts I? are unscrewed and the adjustable bolts O 0 secured to the ends of the adjustable bars K and raised as high as desired, and then the bolts screwed up, thus raising the bar K and the cam N, and by pulling back the lever M raises the ngenbar E. Should it be desired to raise it slightly, the adjustable bolts O can be lowered, and thus preserve always the level for the adjustable bar K for the tongue. It will at the same time be perceived that when the fingerbar F is raised the weight is not thrown on the team, but on the tongue-wheel L. The point of draft being below and attached to the axle B causes the shoes NV and X to rest more lightly on the ground, causing less side draft.

The cutters are made from thin sheet metal and struck up at the heel, forming a concave j front, with a flange at the heel on a line with the front cuttinged ges, thus making the cut ters easily to'be sharpened and adding stiff ness across the heel end, where the rivetholes are made for fastening on the cutter-bar,

which will keep them from springing, which has been a serious difficulty with the ordinaryV piece in its position by means of the uut, and `2. The combination and arrangement of the at the same time allows it to be set in such a adjustable cutter-bar holder U and cutters V manner as to take up the Wear of the eutter- With the uger -bar E, substantially as debar and cutters, so as to always hold the eutterscribed, and for the purpose hereinbefore set bar snug on the linger-bar. forth.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let- T ters Patent of the United States, isf XVM' VAN AL DDN' 1. The combination of the adjustable bolts itnessesz O O with the adjustable bars K, and with the ROBT. N. PALMER, mai'n frame and axle, for the purpose and in R. LEFFERTS, the manner heretofore described. l D. B. GOLLER. 

